Loudoun County residents expected to flock to Board of Supervisors meeting after travel scandal
LOUDOUN COUNTY, Va. (7News) — On Tuesday, Sept. 5, Loudoun County residents are planning to show up at the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors meeting to express their opinions on how Chair Phyllis Randall and other supervisors have been spending tens of thousands of tax dollars on lavish trips overseas.
The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors will return from recess on Tuesday.
Tuesday will be the first time since 7News' series of investigative reports that residents will have an opportunity to speak to their elected officials about their lavish overseas trips.
Bi-partisan outrage has been brewing over the summer after 7News exposed in July how Loudoun County Chair Randall and supervisors Koran Saines, Sylvia Glass and Juli Briskman spent more than 33,000 tax dollars on a lavish trip to Uruguay and more than 60,000 tax dollars on a trip to Ghana.
READ | Loudoun County Board of Supervisors candidates call for change after travel scandal
“I think it looks bad from the public’s viewpoint,” Democratic Loudoun County Supervisor Kristen Umstattd told 7News.
Republican State Senate candidate Juan Pablo Segura denounced the trips, saying “This misuse of taxpayer funds makes it clear that Loudoun County needs a political renewal” and a “new generation of public servants who aren’t in office for personal gain.”
Segura’s Democratic opponent, State Senate candidate Russet Perry, blasted Randall’s, Briskman’s, Saines’ and Glass’ trips saying, “Taxpayers deserve accountability and transparency in how their hard-earned tax dollars are being spent by elected officials,” and Perry said she’ll, “ensure localities adopt increased standards for travel by local officials including limits on per diems, airfare, hotels, meals, and travel necessities.”
Randall, Briskman, Saines and Glass are Democrats.
“It really does make me question their moral integrity,” Republican Loudoun County Board of Supervisors candidate Tumay Harding told 7News.
“It makes people angry when they feel like their money is being wasted,” Republican Loudoun County Board of Supervisors candidate Debbie Rose told 7News. “It’s fraud, waste and abuse, pure and simple.”
MORE | Taxpayers foot the bill for Loudoun County politicians' lavish $60,000 trip to Ghana
“Phyllis Randall has failed the county,” said Gary Katz, who is running against Randall in this year’s election. “She’s failed the taxpayer. She failed her colleagues on the board. Leadership comes from the top. I think that when we lose faith in leadership, it's time for change. We’ve all been watching the news. We've seen the stories, we've seen the evasiveness, the lies. We're paying attention and that requires action.”
7News was the first to uncover how Randall, Saines, and Glass spent more than $7,300 each flying United Polaris Business class roundtrip to Ghana, which includes flight seats and other amenities. The three elected officials also spent much of their time visiting tourist destinations at taxpayer expense, and they stayed at a five-star luxury resort on the beach.
Randall also upgraded her Ghana hotel room when her husband accompanied her on the trip – costing taxpayers twice as much for her hotel room. Since 7News’ reporting, Randall has paid back some, but not all of the hotel room upgrade.
7News has also learned that the county hired a production company to film Randall, Saines and Glass as they visited Ghana.
READ THIS | Loudoun County supervisor deflects FOIA request seeking photos from taxpayer-funded trip to Ghana
Meanwhile, Saines still appears to refuse to hand over all of the photos and videos he took on the trip following a 7News FOIA request to see how the elected officials spent their time.
7News also showed how Randall has been going on these taxpayer-funded trips for years --- including trips to South Korea, Germany, China and India.
Randall and supervisor Mike Turner defended the trips claiming they bring jobs and investments to Loudoun County.
“2,500 new jobs, $1.37 billion in investment, over 100 new businesses, and 27 businesses in just the past two years. That's a very big return,” Randall told 7News in July.
But this summer, 7News showed how it appears not a single job or investment came from Loudoun County sister cities, according to a document 7News obtained from the county.
Randall also defended her flights on United Polaris Business class to Ghana---while some presidential cabinet members are known to often fly coach.
“Pete Buttigieg is not the chief elected official of the federal government. I am the chief elected official of the county,” Randall told 7News Reporter Nick Minock in a July interview.
All of this and more is expected to be brought up during public comment on Tuesday, Sept. 5.
You can sign up in advance to speak to Chair Randall and the supervisors by following the information, here.
On Sept. 19, supervisor Umstattd’s proposal to put an end to wasteful travel spending is expected to be voted on by the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors. Members of the public are also able to speak to the board.
